Q&A – Iikka Backstrom, Joni Malmi, & Lauri Heiskari

The new Forum team movie, That, is a big hit around the TransWorld offices; Editor Evan LeFebvre has cut back to three viewings a day. It’s one of the first snowboard videos to break away from traditional production companies filming a variety of riders into the new direction of team videos-more like skateboarding. It’s an adjustment that some riders have had to make, and we were wondering:

How was filming a team video different than filming with a production company like Defective or Mack Dawg?

Iikka Backstrom Age: 21Sponsors: Forum, Planet Earth, Electric, Adio, Drop, Active, NeffFilming for the team movie was a li’l different ’cause you’re competing against your teammates for positioning in the video. The team happens to be pretty strong, so it makes you try extra hard. I think it’s just a li’l more stressing, but not in the bad way. I really liked it ’cause I got along with everybody on the team and I got to ride with the sickest shreds.

Joni MalmiAge: 27Sponsors: Forum, Special Blend, Oakley, Vestal, Circa, Active, MakiaI was pretty much out of the loop last winter ’cause my mom passed away in February after a long illness, but I think team videos are awesome, and our team is, in my opinion, one of the few that can pull a decent team video off. I liked that the guys flew over to Sweden and Finland and really enjoyed being there-there was a good vibe between everyone. I don’t think Stevie Bell and Jake Welch had ever been out of North America-that’s how snowboarding is such an amazing job. Without having to travel to all these places, I probably wouldn’t have gone to a fraction of ‘em. It was also cool to ride with the newer guys and see that they’re stoked to be on the team and to see the energy that they’ve got. The only drawback that I can think of is that you miss out on meeting and working with other dope people who aren’t on the team.

Lauri HeiskariAge: 22Sponsors: Forum, Special Blend, Oakley, Nomis, Adio, Big Bear, ActiveWell, it wasn’t actually that different. The biggest difference was that I was only riding with my teammates instead of people from other companies. Instead of communicating with my main sponsor and the production company, I was just talking to Forum, so that saved a bit of a hassle. The only drawback was that when you start with a new film crew, things change from the ordinary routine. Like when you’re used to being with a filmer in the normal filming spots and the new filmer lives somewhere else, you have to film in totally different areas than you’re used to-but I stayed open-minded and everything worked out fine.